rumple
Americanverb
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of rumple
1595–1605; < Dutch rompelen (v.), rompel (noun)
Explanation
To mess something up or disarrange it is to rumple it. Even if you make your bed neatly in the morning, your dog might jump up and rumple it as soon as you leave for school. When you take something smooth or neat and make it wrinkled or crumpled, you rumple it. A dad might have the annoying habit of always wanting to rumple his son's perfectly combed hair, for example. And if you fall asleep in your tuxedo, you'll rumple it too. Experts think that rumple started as a variation on the now-obsolete verb rimple, "to wrinkle."
Vocabulary lists containing rumple
My Brother Sam is Dead
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Thing About Jellyfish
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Night Diary
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In 1957, aged 19, Gould made his Broadway debut in the musical Rumple, at the Alvin theatre.
From The Guardian • Apr. 20, 2020
I'm not sure how that helps Rumple wake Belle, but it is powerful.
From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2016
In the Underworld, Pan has found Rumple and wants a deal: For Rumple to help him get a heart so that he can somehow escape the Underworld, he's offering Pandora's Box.
From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2016
Rumple even gets in on the family act by bringing in his dad, Peter Pan, to help deal damage and fulfill whatever plan that Rumple has concocted.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2016
"It is awfully ugly though," replied Rumple, wrinkling his nose with an air of extreme dissatisfaction.
From The Adventurous Seven Their Hazardous Undertaking by Marchant, Bessie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
